Rate My Professor Amber Lancaster

Amber Lancaster serves as Associate Professor of Communication and Director of Professional Writing at Oregon Institute of Technology. She earned her PhD in Technical Communication and Rhetoric from Texas Tech University. Lancaster's research focuses on user experience (UX) in technical communication, usability testing and prototyping, risk communication, ethics of care in communication, agency and advocacy in design, and online writing pedagogy. Her scholarly work examines humanistic aspects of technical information, collaboration models in research and writing partnerships, academic-industry partnerships, and programmatic development in technical communication. She actively contributes to advancing UX education through certificate programs at Oregon Tech, including securing industry support and extended access to tools like Figma and Balsamiq for students.

Lancaster has published extensively in leading journals and conferences. Key publications include 'Paper Prototyping: The Fast and Easy Way to Design and Refine User Interfaces' in IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2004), 'Identifying Risk Communication Deficiencies: Merging Distributed Usability, Integrated Scope, and Ethics of Care' in Technical Communication (2018), 'Amplifying Voices in UX: Balancing Design and User Needs in Technical Communication' (State University of New York Press, 2024), 'Localized Usability and Agency in Design: Whose Voice Are We Advocating?' in Technical Communication (2022), and 'The State of UX in Technical and Professional Communication: Courses, Programs, and Jobs' in IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2023). In 2024, she received the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Technical and Scientific Communication Award for the Best Original Collection of Essays for her co-edited volume 'Localized Usability and Agency in Design: Whose Voices Are We Advocating?' published in Technical Communication. Her contributions influence technical communication pedagogy and practice, emphasizing practical skills, stakeholder engagement, and inclusive design principles.